Ag News and Views: March 2000

March, 2000 Table of Contents
News & Views Archive Issues

Agricultural Division News
The Restructured Agricultual Division by Wadell Altom

Economics
The Beef Industry by Dan Childs
For the last 130 years, cattle production cycles have been predictable. A production cycle usually lasts from nine to eleven years. Where are we in the cycle?

Forage
Limit Winter Grazing as Protein Supplement by Hugh Aljoe
Producers frequently ask, "How long and how often should I allow cattle to graze winter pasture to meet their nutrient requirements?" We initiated research to gain some insight into this dilemma.

Livestock
What's a Good Bull Really Worth? by John Wheeler
Because 80 percent of herd improvement is directly attributable to bull selection, determining what you can pay for a bull depends on more than finding the lowest price.

Mapping
Mapping the Future
One of the most useful tools for our consultants is an aerial photo-map of the cooperator's land. These maps are used as an inventory and planning tool to assist in calculating acres of total land area, pastures, brush, range sites, soil series, surface water, etc.

Plant of the Month
Sericea Lespedeza by Russell Stevens

Wildlife
Dang 'Dillos by Grant Huggins
We receive numerous calls every year from homeowners and other turf managers regarding armadillo damage to their landscape. Before discussing damage management methods, I want to discuss some basic biology of this curious animal.